All Fun and Games Till
by chimericalCarnival
Summary: Kingdom AU-Usagi's father has cooked up another scheme to try and get his sons to marry before he passes the throne to them. Little does he know that Usagi is not interested in women and has no intention to find a queen let alone gain the throne. However when he runs in to a strange predicament he is forced to participate.Well, at least it can't be that bad. (No gender bending)
1. Chapter 1

Akihiko could never really get into parties. He could see why people would like them. The bright and giddy atmosphere, the music, the laughs and the dancing….it was all nice but he couldn't get into it. It all seemed a bit annoying to him if he were honest. He found more comfort in the solitude of his room than being surrounded by people and having to act polite. The prince sighed, looking over the dancing guests with slight distaste.

The party was a last minute surprise to him, having only heard of it yesterday morning. It was obviously another ploy by his father to get his sons marry. Honestly he should just give up. Haruhiko was too stand offish to woo any sensible woman and Akihiko himself was not even attracted to women. This whole ploy was in vain and would end like all the others. In failure.

After another hour drags by Akihiko decided he couldn't stand just sitting on his throne. He gets up, ignoring his father's look and going down to step away from the commotion. "Jesus…" he muttered as he leaned against the wall, taking off his stupid crown. He closed his eyes, relaxing for a few seconds before hearing a familiar voice.

"Akihiko!" he looked to the right and saw his personal maid running over to him. "What do you think you're doing running away like that? You had the King worried, plus you're making a bad impression on the people!"

"It's not like it matters, I won't be taking the throne for a while. Besides I am sure father will choose Haruhiko over me and my 'daydreams' as he puts it." he shrugged, pushing his hair back.

"Idiot. You still need to make a good impression. You are the prince." she fiddled with his hair and tried to fix it. "Whether you gain the throne or not, you should still be nice to the people. It's your job."

"Miss Aikawa, please. You're making my hair worse." he waved her hands away. Before she could continue her nagging he heard his father calling everyone to gather round.

She looked at him, "You have to go out there. Please? After this you can leave I promise." she said, nodding and looking at him expectantly.

"Fine. But after the speech I am done." he huffed, putting his crown back on his head. She curtsied before pushing him back out and towards his throne. He smiled politely as some of the crowd members called out his name and waved. Even if he loathed being here, he at least knew to wave back when it came to the common folk. He had a soft spot towards them, anyways. Living such simple lives...must be pleasant not to be controlled on every detail of your life.

The King, Fuyuhiko, stood up elegantly. His back was straight and there was a warm smile on his face, automatically calming the crowd. "Ladies and gentleman, I hope you are all enjoying yourselves. It is a pleasure to have you grace my ballroom." he said, his voice light and polite. Akihiko resisted the urge to sigh and roll his eyes. His father was a good faker. After the crowd was done clapping he cleared his throat, "I must admit, this party was more than just for pleasure. As you know, I am growing older, and soon I will have to give up my throne to one of my sons." The two princes looked at each other before looking away, scowling slightly. "Tonight, I have invited princesses and noble women from all the neighboring kingdoms to attend the party. Ten will be chosen at the end of the festivities and will stay for two months to try and prove their worth as suitors to my sons. So, without further ado, I am proud to welcome the young ladies of the neighboring kingdoms." he motioned to the main door.

It opened slowly, revealing a group of women of all shapes and sizes waiting patiently. The crowd cheered as they all marched in one by one. It was easy to see where they came from simply by their clothing. Some were from the snow, others the desert or valley. Akihiko observed them idly, about to lose interest till he noticed one trailing behind all the others. She was taller than most yet just as thin and petite. Her hair was in a bun and, by her long dress, heels and thin fabric, no where near the cold climate. Either the valley or the desert he wasn't sure but it was one of those two. Usually he would look away but she stuck out so much it was a bit embarrassing. She was trying to look elegant, he'd give her that. Still, she had a bit of a delicate air around her which kept her from making a fool of herself.

After the introductions were over the party continued with the females starting to go try and talk to the princes. Akihiko took the chance to disappear just like before although for good this time. Hopefully. He decided his brother could handle all the women without him. So quietly he slipped away, making an excuse when he passed by one of the princesses and avoided being lured into conversation. He quickly walked down the halls, taking the long way to his room to avoid any more chance encounters. How was he going to live like this for two months? Having to escape everyone and avoid all the suitors? It was going to be hell to just walk out of his room- He stopped when he noticed one of them was standing in the hallway, looking over one of the vases in the hall.

Before he could turn on his heels and go the other way she looked up at him. "Oh." she straightened up and put her hands behind her back, bowing. "Uh, hi. I was just looking at..that." she motioned to the vase.

She looked awkward, too awkward for a noble woman. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be out there."

"I could say the same." she shot back, her voiced raised. She relaxed a bit, keeping her voice level, "I'm not one for parties. Besides I'm not all that interested in the...competition." she wrinkled her nose a bit.

"Then why be here?"

"All eligible women were chosen and my name was picked to go for my kingdom."

"The Valley Kingdom?" When she nodded he frowned, "What's your name again?"

She hesitated, her shoulders tensing up again. "Manami Kajiwara." she muttered, bowing again.

"No, you're not." he said suddenly, "I've met her before….you are not her." He remembered her clearly, it was the day his heart was broken. He remembered Takahiro, his childhood friend/love interest, introducing her to him. Takahiro had been a messenger then, but had found another job elsewhere. He still sent a letter once a month to see how Akihiko was doing.

The girl frowned, "Yes I am! You don't remember me-"

"For starters, her hair was longer, and her eyes were brown, not green." he took a step closer, watching her retreat back a step, "She was shorter as well. Now why don't you tell me who you really are? I know her boyfriend, and he will not be pleased to find out she was impersonated."

She stopped and looked at him with surprise. "You know my brother?"

"Eh?"

She bit her lip before speaking. "I'm...his sibling. Misaki Takahashi." she said, looking down. "And he knows, sort of."

Akihiko frowned, he remembered Takahiro mentioning having a sibling. This must be his sister. He couldn't see much of a resemblance though. "Why are you pretending to be her then? You wanted to marry me?"

She scoffed and crossed her arms, "As if!" she seemed a little relieved though that he wasn't angry, "You see...they had called her up to be offered. She's engaged to my brother, but he doesn't have the money to marry her right now. And because of that, she was going to be forced to come here. So...I took her spot." she frowned and looked up at him, "Please don't tell anyone."

He smirked a bit, sighing, "I won't. I don't care about this competition. Besides I doubt you will be chosen." he began to walk away but was stopped by Misaki.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she pouted

"You aren't exactly a graceful flower. If Miss Kajiwara were looking for a replacement she should have found someone able to do the job."

"What a rude thing to say jerk!" she stomped her heel, "I'd like to see you walking in heels!"

He laughed and she just fumed. He would admit, it was a selfless thing to do for someone so young. She must care a lot about Takahiro. However she seemed to be ahead of herself. Well, hopefully she will be sent home and they can all laugh over this. She seemed too nice to really be in anything this cut throat.

The two argued a bit till relaxing a little, "But seriously, why aren't you out there. You are the prince." She asked. They were both leaning on opposite sides of the wall, keeping a good amount of space between each other.

"Because I don't like parties. Besides I'm not fond of my father's schemes to try and get us to marry. It's a waste of time and a bother to everyone involved." he ran his fingers through his hair.

"It's still rude to leave in the middle of it all. The least you can do is show some respect."

"Don't patronize me, kid."

"I'm not a kid!"

Akihiko laughed and was about to say something when he heard footsteps. "Akihiko! There you-" Fuyuhiko stopped when he saw the two of them talking. Misaki quickly straightened up and fidgeted a bit. After some silence the king straightened up and cleared his throat, "Come back to the ballroom. We are about to choose the suitors."

"No. I've been there for an appropriate amount of time. I can leave." he huffed.

Fuyuhiko frowned and narrowed his eyes a bit, "Don't be childish. Come back this instant. You're making all of us look bad. I had to leave my throne just to find you." he said, voice stern.

Akihiko glared but looked down when he noticed Misaki fidget nervously. He paused before nodding and walking past his father. Misaki trailed behind, her heels clicking against the floor quietly. Fuyuhiko sighed but went back as well.

Once they were all in their appropriate places, The king and the prince back on the thrones and Misaki down with the rest of the common folk, he started. "It's a shame this party has to end, however it is time for all of us to go home and rest. But before that, I will call out the name of the suitors. The first is a princess from the desert…"

It seemed to take forever for them to come up and accept the keys to their rooms. Akihiko was zoning out but a certain name caught his attention. He opened his eyes and looked down at Misaki. She seemed as surprised as Akihiko, slowly walking up to the stage, grabbing her key before standing with the others. She looked at him, obviously worried and a bit annoyed. He could understand why, after all she was only here because she was filling in for someone else.

Once all the guests left Akihiko went up to the room was Misaki in. He knocked on the door, sighing slightly.

"Come in." She called, sounding a bit flustered. She was sitting on her bed, her shoes kicked off but still wearing her dress. She looked at him with slight worry, "You said I wouldn't be called."

"Well I was wrong."

"This isn't something you can just shrug off! I'm not supposed to be here! I was supposed to be sent home!" she ranted, standing up and pacing around the room, "If the King finds out I'm not really Manami! I'll be punished for impersonating a noble! What do I do?"

Akihiko sighed and put a hand on her head, stopping her. "Don't worry. The whole point is to try and wed one of us. However as long as you don't try or draw attention to yourself it won't matter."

"But if they find out-"

"They won't. I'll keep it a secret because you're Takahiro's sister. Alright?"

She stared at him for a bit before nodding and looking down. "Okay. Thank you."

He smiled a bit before putting his hands in his pocket. "I'll leave you to be now. Night."

"Night." she watched him go before closing the door and locking it. After making sure he was fully gone she untied her hair and quickly took off the dress and corset, wearing nothing but pants.

"Shit...how am I going to get through two months like this?" Misaki flopped down on the bed and used a towel to wipe off the dumb make up. He hadn't actually thought he'd fool anyone with this disguise, but it worked. Maybe he looked girlier than he thought. Still, it was all last minute. He saw how sad he and his sister in law were and just acted irrationally. He didn't think he'd get this far.

"Well...At least Akihiko has my back...I think." Misaki pulled the blanket over his head and tried to fall asleep, despite all the trouble on his shoulders.

It was going to be a long two months…

**((A/N: Please Leave reviews! It encourages me :3 Originally posted on archieve of our own.))**


	2. Chapter 2

"Mmm…" Misaki shifts under the thick duvet, slowly opening his eyes. He blinks a few times before remembering where he was and sat up quickly. He holds the blanket to his chest, shivering. Damn, it was way colder than he thought it would be. Misaki rubbed his eyes before looking out the window. It was still pretty dark outside, but this was the usual time he woke up at. But instead of doing work around the house, he had to get dressed and ready. He wonders if all women woke up this early to get ready.

Misaki slid off the bed, shivering as he was suddenly surrounded by the cold. "Sheesh…How do they live like this?" he muttered as he lit an oil lamp. Shuffling to the vanity, he looked down at the little bowl which was supposed to have water in it to wash your face but instead had...ice. Or rather a thin layer of ice over the water. Well nevermind then. He went to the closet and frowned. He had only a few dresses, all of them Manami's, and they were all too thin for this kind of weather. He grumbled and picked out a dark green one anyways. It's not like he had much of a choice or preference anyways. All dresses were dresses to him. However he wondered if all the other ladies had better dresses than he did.

After about a half hour later he realized this would be harder than he thought. His fingers were numb and trying to put on the stupid corset he had to wear was hard. Without it he would look more like a man than a woman so he couldn't leave without it, as much as he wanted to. At least with the corset it gave him some femininity. After that was the stockings, petticoat and finally the damn dress. It wasn't a complete ensemble but it would have to do. Especially since he had no idea how to dress in a full outfit and would probably make a fool of himself if he tried. That or just get himself in to more of a mess. He sat down at the vanity and sighed, feeling quite stiff in his new attire but just shrugged the thought away. He had no other choice.

This all felt very stupid. He was a man, and men don't do these kinds of things! If he could he would leave right now and never look back. But...Misaki sighed and looked down. He couldn't risk hurting his brother or his brother's fiance. After all the whole reason he did this was so he didn't have to see his brother heartbroken. With a small sigh he grabbed the brush and started to fix his hair. He didn't know much about fancy hairstyles but his hair was long enough to pass as female hair in any hair do. No matter the simplicity. He used a ribbon to tie his hair back and put it into a small neat bun. He finished it off with a flower hairclip that his brother gave to him. It was their mothers, and he never thought he'd be the one wearing it. But things had a strange way of playing out. At least it was being used again.

Misaki was almost done...he just needed make up. He frowned, picking up a powder brush. Crap, he forgot what Manami did! It was something to do with this brush...he was sure but he couldn't remember. And he knew if he even attempted to try and do the make up himself he would mess it up. Misaki started to panic a bit as he tried to figure out how to put make up on.

A knock on the door made him jump. He quickly stood up and opened the door, "Ah-Yes?" he asked, straightening up.

Aikawa blinked a bit before smiling, "Sorry for disturbing you Miss Kajiwara, but the king was worried when he didn't see you at breakfast." she said.

Misaki mentally punched himself. Of course! He forgot all about that. He had been so busy trying to get ready that he had missed breakfast completely. "I'm very sorry! I woke up late and lost track of time." he bowed a bit in apology. "I'm not even done yet." he admitted shyly.

She suddenly brightened up, "Do you need help? I can do your makeup." she offered, seeming a bit too eager about it.

"Oh...well...sure. If it would be no problem. I would appreciate it." he said, smiling a little. Usually he wouldn't agree to such a thing but he had no other choice. Either it was she did his make up or he spent another hour figuring out how to do it.

She smiled and quickly entered the room, pushing him down on the chair and grabbing the supplies, "You already have such a pretty face. You won't need much, just some blush...a little eyeliner…" she hummed. "But first let's wash your face." she said, cracking the ice in the water bowl. Misaki wrinkled his nose. Oh damn.

Akihiko leaned against the table in the kitchen, eating an apple. He had purposely slept in late to avoid having to eat breakfast with everyone else. He wondered how Misaki fared though. He wondered if she even knew anything about table etiquette. Probably not. For a lady she seemed quite clueless about these kind of things.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard someone walk in. At first he was going to ignore them until he heard that familiar voice. "Eh? Prince, what are you doing here?"

Akihiko looked at Misaki, "Eating." he said bluntly.

"I know that. I mean why are you here? I heard everyone went to the parlor." She said, walking over to him.

"I missed breakfast."

"Why? I thought you were supposed to be with everyone. Your father did all this for you after all! It's rude that you didn't go!"

"I didn't ask him to do anything. And as far as I'm concerned this is more for his benefit than mine. Or my brother's." he looked over at Misaki who seemed a bit confused. He sighed and tossed the rest of the apple into the waste basket. "My father just wants whoever is going to take the throne to be married and have kids. It's to keep the bloodline alive." Akihiko chuckled a bit to himself. That wasn't going to happen. His brother might be able to marry, but he had low hopes he himself would get married. Let alone have kids.

"Well it's only natural isn't it?"

"Hm?"

Misaki fidgeted and smoothed out her dress nervously. "Well, I'm not really in a position to say anything but...it just sounds to me like he is just looking out for you two. He probably just wants the best for his sons. At least that's my thinking."

Akihiko stared at her for a second before looking away, "That sounds stupid."

Misaki frowned and glared, "Well I was just voicing my opinion!" she said, crossing her arms and huffing.

Akihiko couldn't help but smile a bit at her actions. "Brat." Before she could start up in to another fit he spoke again, "Why are you in the kitchen? Looking for something?"

Misaki relaxed a bit and shook her head. "No. I missed breakfast too. But not on purpose. I forgot about it, to be honest." She walked over to the cabinets and decided what she wanted to eat. "If you want I could cook you something too. Unless you've eaten already?" she glanced at him before grabbing some supplies.

"No I haven't eaten yet. Whatever you cook I'll eat. If it's good." he said.

They were silent as she cooked, both caught up in their own thoughts. However, getting bored with simply watching, Akihiko spoke up, "How is Takahiro?" he asked, taking a sip of water. "I heard he got a new job."

"He did. He works in the trading business now." she said, smiling a bit. "He isn't home much, but he seems to be happy." she said as she stirred the soup.

"So you do all the chores I'm guessing? Or does Manami do it?"

"I take care of everything while he's away. Manami doesn't live with us, since they aren't married yet."

"But when they do marry, where will you go?"

"I'm not sure. My brother said I could stay but I feel like I'm intruding on them if I do. It would be strange for a teenager to live with newlyweds." Misaki frowned a bit, "I want to move, though I'm not sure where to."

Akihiko looked her over. She seemed to be fairly distressed. Although it was only natural she'd feel this way. A woman couldn't own property so her only option was marrying someone with property. Or moving to a relatives house although if he remembered correctly their relatives lived far away. "You know," Misaki looked at him, "If you do need to find a place to stay, I can help you."

"Really?"

"I could buy you your own house. Or at least help find you a place to stay without marrying someone."

"Marrying some-Oh yeah, right...b-but you don't have to do that. I wouldn't want to burden you or anything." she said, holding her hands up in defense.

"It wouldn't be a burden. I have a lot of money. I could buy a house."

"You shouldn't spend your money so carelessly." she grumbled, pouting a bit. "But, I mean, that's really nice of you but you don't-"

"I want to. It's the least I can do for my best friend's sister." Misaki blinked but then looked away shyly, a flustered blush on her cheeks. She had been so distracted that she barely noticed the soup starting to boil over. "Is it supposed to do that?" he asked, leaning against the counter.

"Hm? Ah!" she quickly moved it away from the fire. He laughed a bit at her misfortune, ignoring her flustered and embarrassed yelling.

"You can be quite clueless sometimes."

"Shut your mouth. You can't even cook so you can't make fun of me!"

Akihiko laughed even more, much to her chagrin. This was going to be a long two months, they both thought to themselves.

**((A/N: Sorry it's a bit short but the next one will be longer I swear! Thanks for all the comments you guys, it makes me happy :3 PS I'll most likely be updating every Sunday, since school takes a lot out of me.****))**


	3. Chapter 3

It had been two weeks since the ball. So far, Misaki had done a fairly good job of blending in. He befriended Miss Aikawa pretty quickly, which was good because not only did he have a friend he also had someone to do his make up for him in the morning. Akihiko was also a friend, although Misaki didn't see him much during the day. He usually hid from everyone, only coming out in the morning to eat(Misaki was half forced into making him breakfast everyday now) and at night, to walk around the palace. Misaki wasn't sure how, but now he accompanied him in his nightly walk. They didn't talk much at first, making only awkward conversations. However once the two got to know each other they began to talk more, discussing random topics or asking questions about one another and their homeland. However, Misaki always seemed to prefer when they would walk in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company.

Tonight, they took their walk outside, since the wind had died down enough plus the night sky was clear. Misaki wore some snow boots that Aikawa had lent him and a snow coat the King had provided for all the contestants. Misaki looked around in awe at the perfect white snow that blanketed the garden.

"You don't have snow back at home, do you?" Akihiko asked, noticing the other's curiosity.

"No, it never gets cold enough for it to snow. It does rain though, and that can get pretty interesting." she said, looking up at him. "How do you live in such a cold place?"

"I was born here, so I guess I've just gotten immune to the cold. How about you? Are you bothered by the cold? We could always go back inside."

"No, no. It's fine. I'm cold, but I can bare it. Besides it's so pretty outside." she bent down and scooped up some snow. "The snow looks so perfect, like in the pictures!" she said excitedly, trying to make a snowball.

Akihiko chuckled, "I don't see how you could be excited over some frozen water." He scooped up some snow as well, easily making a snowball and throwing it against a tree. "There's nothing special about it."

"It's only normal for me to be excited! I've never seen it before coming here." she pouted, "Besides, when I told you about my home you seem excited over nothing."

"Sun and rolling green hills are more exciting than white snow." he made another snowball and handed it to her, "It sounds better than the cold."

Misaki held the snowball in her hands till it stung and then threw it, "I guess I got used to it. But I will admit, I miss the sun." she kicked some snow, "However it's nice to be here. Even if it was an accident."

Akihiko smiled a bit and shook his head, "You care about your brother a lot."

"Of course I do! He took care of me for most of my life. I owe him so much. It's the least I can do."

Akihiko stared at her, a look of admiration on his face. She seemed very loyal and caring, willing to get her hands dirty if needed. You don't see many people like that, he thought, especially in girls. Why was she so different? Was it because she came from a different background than most? Or was it just her personality?

"What is it?" She looked at him in confusion, "Do I have something on my face?"

Akihiko smirked and then quickly got some snow from a bush and flicked it on to her face. "Just snow."

"Hey! That's cold!" she frowned but picked up some snow and made a snowball. She flung it at him but he dodged it and ran.

"Missed." he got more snow and threw it, hitting her arm.

The calm walk turned into an intense snowball fight. The two ran around laughing, dodging and making fools of themselves. And they loved it. Misaki hadn't done something this silly since she was younger and Akihiko had never done something so childish yet exciting. It made him happy. After an hour of playing around they decided to go back inside.

"That was fun." Akihiko said, escorting Misaki back to her room.

"It was but I regret it now."

"Why?"

"Because I'm freezing!" she said, shaking a bit.

"There's more blankets downstairs if you need them."

"It's alright, I'll just use the fireplace in my room. If that's allowed?"

"It's in your room for that reason." he rolled his eyes but luckily she didn't see. He didn't need her waking up everyone with her loud voice.

Once they got to her room she turned to look at him, "Thank you." she bowed a bit and smiled, "I really did have fun."

"Me too." he smiled back. They made eye contact and strange feeling fell over them both. It felt like a sudden burst in energy and he couldn't help but feel surprised, "Goodnight." he said suddenly before nodding and turning his head.

"Uh, g-goodnight!" she called after him, feeling her cheeks turning red, as if they weren't already. She went into her room and leaned against the door. That was strange...for a second it almost felt like...Misaki shook his head, "We're just friends…" he muttered, going to the fire place. He lit a match before tossing it into the kindling and watching the flame grow. It was nothing, just the cold. They were only friends… "Right?"

**A/N: Sorry for the lack of posting. I had a military ball Thursday and Prom is this weekend so I'm going to be a bit busy. But no worries, more chapters are to come! Plus some more stories(One shots and more) are coming!If you're a Hetalia, Roosterteeth or Yugioh fan keep an eye out! And thanks for the reviews! **

**PS: Tell me what other Junjou couple you want to see!**


	4. Chapter 4

Akihiko gave an agitated sigh as he set the book down. It shouldn't be bothering him, he knew that. It meant nothing anyways right? It was just awkward eye contact is all. It's happened to him plenty of times. Still...it made him feel strange. The way Misaki's green eyes met his own iris colored ones… She had a cute smile too and her cheeks were red from the cold which made her look adorable...Akihiko squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. Dammit. He needed to stop thinking about her. At least in that way.

Akihiko stood up and walked over to the dresser. He slipped on some fresh clothes, tossing the other ones to the floor carelessly. As he put on his boots he tried to convince himself he did not have a crush on her and that it was all a misunderstanding. He wasn't even attracted to women. Maybe...it was just because she was a friend. Yes. A friend. Akihiko threw on his coat as he nodded to himself. That's it. He just felt that way because she was a good person to talk to, just like her brother Takahiro. She was kind, entertaining and seemed to have more sense than any of the other princesses. That's why he was feeling a bit confused. That's all.

Akihiko left his room, hands in his pockets, and started to head to the kitchen. He no longer felt nervous about seeing her now. In fact he was even a little eager to see the girl. He was hungry, and no doubt she'll end up yelling at him for being late again while cooking him something. The thought made him chuckle a bit, despite himself. However once he entered the kitchen he noticed that the room was empty. No Misaki to be found. Or food. That was odd. Perhaps she was still asleep? He frowned, wondering if she was sick from last night. She wasn't used to the cold after all.

Quickly he left the kitchen and went down the hall, towards the guest rooms. What if she was sick? Would his father send her off? Would he help her? Would he do anything at all? He was snapped out of his thoughts by a familiar voice, "Akihiko where are you going off to?" Aikawa asked, a duster in one hand.

"Have you seen Misa-I mean Miss Kajiwara today?" he said, quickly correcting himself.

"Yes I have. She left early this morning with the rest of the group. The king was taking them out to the town square." Akihiko relaxed a bit, knowing she wasn't ill or harmed. However he couldn't shake off a feeling of disappointment. "You know if you want I think you can still catch up with them."

"It's alright. Thank you."

She giggled, "Why were you so worried anyways?"

He shrugged in response before walking away. "I don't know." he muttered to himself. Without much else to do, he grabbed an apple and headed back his room to write, feeling very lonely all of the sudden.

"Oooh! That looks nice!"

"How about this? It'll match great with my new dress!"

"Is this too much?"

Misaki watched the princesses move about, feeling pretty detached from everything. Being a man in a woman's 'body', so to speak, was a bit harder than he thought. He knew nothing about women, let alone what they did. Of course he had nothing against shopping per se. It's just...it's not something he has ever done. Being poor, he rarely had the time and the money to go out and shop for fun. And if he did have the luxury of doing so, he wouldn't have spent it on...dresses, jewelry or women shoes. Misaki sighed a bit to himself, looking at some bracelets awkwardly. He wished he denied coming here. To be truthful he only agreed because he was nervous of talking to Akihiko again after what happened. He knew he was making a big deal over nothing but it was still strange. It was very...intimate and Misaki swore he felt his heart beat faster. Misaki shook his head and slapped his cheeks a bit. He needed to stop thinking about it! Maybe it was only awkward because they were both guys. But, in his defense, Misaki was dressed up and pretending to be a girl. He blinked. That's it! It only felt that way because Akihiko thought he was a girl! That's why it was strangely intimate. If Akihiko knew he was a guy he wouldn't have looked at him that way. They would just be good friends, right? Misaki felt relieved yet also a bit disappointed although he shoved that feeling aside. He just needed to let it go and focus on spending time with the group that's all. Maybe he could even buy something for Manami and his brother.

Misaki smiled and turned, ready to join the group. However he stopped, realizing he was the only one in the store. He had been so distracted he didn't even notice them leave. He slumped his shoulders and let out a groan. Great. Now he was alone in a town he knew nothing about. That's what he gets for being distracted, he guessed. Misaki decided to leave the store, in hopes of running in to the group.

It was lonely, walking alone in a new place. He felt vulnerable and sad, in a way. He sort of wished Akihiro had come with them. Most likely the older man wouldn't have wanted to shop or doing anything girly like 'd probably want to go somewhere quiet and secluded. Misaki remembered him talking about a nice bookstore around here. They probably would have gone there, if he had came, and spend time away from the group reading books and arguing about their different tastes in literature. Akihiko loved long and elaborate fiction books or romance novels while Misaki was fond of short stories, since he couldn't read very well. He smiled a bit, imagining how fun it would be than walking around alone and aimlessly, he thought. He shivered as a breeze ruffled his hair and dress, making him stop. He pushed his bangs back and was about to keep on walking when he noticed the store next to him. "Woah…" he walked closer and leaned down a bit as he looked at the display on the other side of the window. There were a bunch of glass figurines scattered around of all shapes and sizes. He smiled, his eyes brightening up a bit. He had never seen figurines this detailed before. It was a nice sight.

Misaki straightened up and was about to go inside when he noticed someone next to him, looking at the figurines as well. Misaki wasn't really sure what compelled him to speak. But he couldn't stop himself from saying something. "Pretty, aren't they?" she asked.

The man next to him looked over, "Yes." he answered fairly cold. He eyed Misaki up and down before straightening up. "Are you going in?"

She nodded at in response, the height difference making him slightly uneasy.

He nodded and opened the door for her, waiting for her to go in. She blushed but stepped inside, liking the warmness of the room. Better than outside air. She smiled and looked around and was careful not to knock anything down. The man stayed fairly close to her although he was looking at other stuff as well. Misaki hummed a bit before something caught her eye. It was a small bear figurine with a little bow around the neck. It was cute and Misaki picked it up carefully. "Cute…" she muttered.

"You like it?"

She jumped at the voice and looked up at him, "Oh, um, yes! It's very nice."

"I'll buy it for you."

"Huh? Oh! N-No it's alright! You don't need to spend money on a stranger." She argued, holding a hand up in defense.

"It would be rude not to buy something for a guest." At her confused expression he added, "You are one of the guests staying at the palace right?"

Misaki furrowed her brows before it suddenly hit her, "P-Prince Haruhiko?" she asked, cheeks turning bright red. She gripped the bear a bit, tensing up. "S-Sorry for not recognizing you. I've never talked to you face to face before. Although it's still very rude of me..." she said nervously.

He blinked, grey eyes slightly amused, "It's alright, miss. I'm afraid I don't know your name. Sorry."

"I'm Mi-Minami Kajiwara." she bowed a bit. She looked at the bear in her hand, "But, as I was saying you don't need to buy me this."

"But I want to. It'd be rude if I don't." he took the figurine from her hand carefully and went to pay. She opened her mouth to argue but decided not to say anything. After all she didn't want to argue with royalty.

Once they were done looking they had walked outside again. Somewhere along the way they had gotten hot chocolate and were sitting on a bench. Misaki felt awkward, to say the least. There had been little talking involved plus the way he seemed to hover over her was a bit disconcerting. She sipped at her drink but was pulled out of her thoughts when he spoke. "I've never seen you around much." he said. "You never come with the group do you?

"Oh, well, I usually tend to stay at the palace. I'm not one for large groups." she said, looking down.

"What do you do all alone then?"

"Well I walk around, but, I'm not really alone."

"Hm?"

"I talk a lot with Miss Aikawa and some of the staff...and I spend some time with Prince Akihiko." she noticed a shift in his facial expression. It went from calm to agitated, and she wasn't sure why. Did she say something wrong?

"You spend time with Akihiko?" he asked, looking ahead.

"Well...Yes. He's nice and we get along fairly well…" she muttered, feeling less confident than before.

He sipped at his drink, "Akihiko? Being nice? I doubt it." she frowned, "Akihiko isn't one to treat people well. In fact, he's probably the least social person I know."

"Well he's nice to me. And, he can be a bit demanding but...I don't see anything wrong with him."

"You will, soon enough."

"Eh?"

Haruhiko suddenly stood up and looked down at her, "Come on let's go back to the palace. They are probably wondering where we went." he said.

"Ah...mm." she nodded and stood up and followed after him. She left their cups on the bench as she trailed behind him, her hands tugging the coat closer around her. What did he mean 'You will'? Did Haruhiko know something about him that she doesn't? Akihiko didn't seem bad but...then again maybe it was all an act? She shook her head, frowning. Her head hurt, she didn't want to think about this anymore.

"Misaki?"

Misaki looked up from her book and stood up, walking to the door. "Yes?" she opened it and smiled a little. "Ah, Akihiko. Hello."

He nodded and smiled, "You're back from shopping?"

"Yes, although there wasn't much shopping to do. Besides I got separated from the group."

"Daydreaming again?"

"No!...I was distracted a little." she huffed, blushing at his chuckle.

"What did you buy?"

"Oh! Look." she went inside and grabbed the small box before walking in to the hallway, "I found this glass figurine store and saw this."

He opened the box and smiled a bit, "A bear?"

She nodded, "I thought it looked cute."

"What's it's name?"

"No idea. Didn't really think about naming a figurine."

"Suzuki sounds about right."

She giggled, "You're weird."

"Coming from a brat." he put the figurine back into the box. "What else did you do?"

"Hm...well, I met Prince Haruhiko at the shop. He bought this for me although I didn't want him to. However I didn't want to argue with him. Then we walked around and stopped for hot chocolate."

He frowned, "You talked to Haruhiko?"

"Why?" she asked, realizing they both seemed to have the same annoyed expression. Did they hate each other that much?

"What did you talk about?" his voice was stern and cold.

"Nothing really. It was a bit awkward to be honest." she said, setting the bear on the table.

"Are you sure? He didn't say anything-"

"I'm sure!" she said, although her voice wavered a bit. She stepped outside and walked down the hall, "Come on, I have to cook you dinner before the rest come right?" she asked, smiling slightly. She saw him about to argue but simply ran down the hall, "Come on old man!" She called. She heard Akihiko mention something about brats patronizing their elders but ignored him.

Although he was smiling, he was silently worrying over what Haruhiko said. Misaki wanted to believe it was nothing but sibling rivalry but he felt as if there was something more to it. Was Akihiko worse than what met the eye? Or was it just an exaggeration? He didn't know. Maybe he would ask him later, when things have settled down. But right now all he wanted to do was relax a bit after such a stressful day. And she guessed Akihiko would want the same.

**((A/N: So I finally got around to writing this. Things are starting to heat up folks. And now with Haruhiko in the mix looks like the brother's will have more things to fight about. Thank you for the reviews you guys! They make me happy :3 BTW I wrote another thing so check that out too. It's not much to look out now but yeah. Anyways hope you enjoyed the chapter and stay tuned for more. Love ya guys!))**


	5. Chapter 5

Misaki didn't really think this day would come so soon. The two months flew by so fast, it felt like only yesterday he had passed through the doors of the great palace. However, those short two months had been full of complications. He had started having strange feelings for Akihiko, for one thing, that seem to only grow the longer he spent time with him. And not matter how hard he tried he always ended up by Akihiko's side again either reading, talking or simply relaxing in his presence. It was better than talking to everyone else.

Some good things had happened though. He made some new friends, like Miss Aikawa and Sumi. Plus he's managed to do some sightseeing and even learned how to ice skate. As a bonus, he had also gotten used to putting on his 'disguise'. He had learned how to put the makeup and dress on better as well as learn a few new hairstyles for his now slightly longer hair. Was it something to be proud of? He wasn't really sure but he would think of it as a plus, since at least he didn't look as ridiculous like he did in the beginning. Misaki sighed as he stood up and decided to take a walk around the palace to think.

A few servants and maids ran around the palace, carrying decorations or food from place to place, nearly knocking Misaki over. Today was the day that the King chose the next five princesses who would 'advance' into the next round. They would stay three more months and then at the end of it all the King would choose who the next Queen would be as well as the next King. Misaki frowned at the thought. He was sure he wouldn't be chosen, not when he had missed almost every 'group' activity and failed all the manners and etiquette tests. But he didn't know why that upset him so much. If anything, he should feel glad. If he wasn't chosen, then he could go home. He could stop all this nonsense and go back to living a normal life with his brother. But...he didn't want to go back. He should want to, but he didn't. He sort of liked it here. He liked his new friends...especially Akihiko. They had become fairly close and were comfortable in each other's presence. Misaki knew that if he left it didn't mean that he could never talk to Akihiko. He could always write letters or visit time to time with his brother. However...leaving him made him sad. He didn't want to leave him. He wanted to stay and talk to him, go on walks, ice skate and play in the snow with him...

Misaki let out a frustrated groan and shook his head. What was he saying? He sounded like some sort of damsel in distress there for a second. Misaki wasn't sad, of course he wasn't. He was fine. Just fine. He was just a bit tired is all. That's why he was talking crazy. Misaki leaned against the wall, whining a bit at his own stupidity.

"Manami?" Misaki straightened up and looked over to see Sumi coming closer to her.

"Ah, Sumi." she smiled and walked over. "What's is it?"

"A letter from your brother." he said, handing it over to her. "What is that? The third one this month?" he teased with a smirk.

"Shut it. He's just worried about me is all." she looked over the letter and smiled a little, feeling a bit relieved to have another letter from her brother. It seemed the only normal thing in her messed up world.

"I'm worried about you too, you know. My friend could be leaving today if she doesn't make it, right?"

"Uh, yeah...Sort of scary to think though, hm?"

"Yeah. But at least you'll be able to go back home. You've been complaining since you got here."

"Yeah that's the good part. Although I'll sort of miss the place."

"I see. You'll probably miss Akihiko too."

"W-What? No I won't!" she blushed as she got flustered. "I'm sure Usagi would probably be happy for me to leave. I've been following him like a lost dog for a while." she grumbled. She was joking but now had depressed herself with the idea.

"Probably. Although now you call him by his nickname hm?"

Misaki argued with him a bit more before he had to go. She walked around a little bit more before she decided to go to the library. Akihiko was probably done with his errands and was probably looking for her right now. She dusted off the snow on her shoes and dress before running up the stairs and into the library. The library was quite large, two stories high and full of books from around the world. Some were in different languages and some from way back. It was quite interesting although Misaki's limited education didn't allow her to read most of the books. However she could read and enjoyed the more simpler books. Akihiko had offered to tutor her but she declined, thinking it'd be weird if he tutored her.

"Usagi?" she called out, looking around.

"Here."

Misaki turned and saw him sitting down on one of the many armchairs they had around the library. She walked over and noticed he was all dressed up for tonight. He had on his formal clothing, his hair was brushed neatly with his crown on top of his head. His hair looked so smooth, she wanted to touch it although she luckily stopped herself. "Ready for tonight?"

"Mm. I'd rather miss the whole thing."

"I know, but then you won't get to say goodbye to me hm?"

Akihiko tensed up a bit, "How do you know you'll be leaving?"

"Just look at me! I'm not really graceful, or royalty or anything. I'm not even the person I'm supposed to be." she mumbled the last part. "I doubt the King would choose me."

Akihiko was silent for a bit, thinking, "Well I guess you will leave then hm? Things will be quieter without you around." He didn't mean it, of course. However he was mad now and his tone became somewhat sharp.

Misaki frowned, feeling hurt but didn't react. She sat down on a chair and pulled the letter out, pouting slightly. She opened it and read it, feeling a little better by her her brother's comforting words.

"Manami!" Misaki jumped, looking up. Aikawa was running to them, "Where were you? You're late for your dress fitting!" she cried, grabbing her arm and dragging Misaki away.

"O-Oh! I forgot!" she looked back at Akihiko but looked away, too upset to say goodbye. He wasn't even looking at her.

However in her hurry, the letter had fallen to the floor, forgotten in the rush. Akihiko raised a brow and picked it up, curious. "What's this…" he muttered, opening it up and looking it over. It didn't look interesting however something caught his attention.

_Dear Misaki,_

_I'm glad that you are having fun despite the circumstances. It makes me feel a little better knowing you aren't having a horrible time. Manami and I are doing fine, thank you. We are almost going to marry soon. Hopefully after you come back. If you do come back, I should say. I hope that you can and don't advance on to the next round. Or else I'm afraid you might be found out. _

_Misaki, you have no idea how much this means to me. You're the best little brother anyone could ask for. I don't think Manami and I could ever repay you for pretending to be her and saving us from being torn apart. Also wearing a dress might be weird, no?_

_I'll make this letter short because I bet you have more important things to do, but please be careful. I don't want anything to happen to my little brother. Be safe and write me back soon._

_-Takahiro_

Akihiko stared at the letter in confusion. Little...brother? This letter was for Misaki right? Why did he write little brother- His eyes widened as it all suddenly clicked. The way he looked, talked and acted like...Misaki...was… "A boy?" He let his hand drop to his side, letter held tightly in his grasp. No way. It had to be a mistake yet it wasn't. It made sense, now that he thought about it. So that's why he was so concerned about staying here. He wasn't just pretending to be Manami, but a whole different gender together. But why didn't he tell him? Was he afraid that he would be mad? Or kick him out?

Akihiko furrowed his brows as he thought. This was all so strange and sudden. Should he let Misaki know he knew? Or would it make him afraid? Would he worry if he knew? Something suddenly occurred to Akihiko. If...Misaki was a boy then...he...he really did love Misaki. Before he was conflicted because he liked men, and he had thought Misaki was a girl and was confused as to why he would be attracted to Misaki. But now he knew his true feelings. Misaki was a boy, and Akihiko loved him. Plain and simple. He stood up and started walking to the door quickly, a newfound energy in him. He needed to make his father chose Misaki to stay. Now that he had realized that he did love him, he couldn't let him go. Not yet. Not before he could tell Misaki how he felt.

Hopefully he wasn't too late.

**((A/N: Short but full of drama huh? Now Akihiko knows and the plot can advance XD This was one of the hardest chapters to write because I wasn't sure how to sort of start it and what I wanted to do. I almost was going to wait another chapter till he found out but decided to do it now. I still am not happy with it but for now I'll leave it up. Thank you for the wonderful comments you guys and look out for another chapter soon! Next one might be a little late because of finals coming up but hopefully not.))**


	6. Chapter 6

Akihiko shoved through the busy servants, too concerned with his own problems to be polite at the moment. He could almost hear Misaki already having a fit. She-well, he now-would be apologizing for him and then patronizing him for being rude or something. He'd get all flustered and his cheeks would turn red from embarrassment...Akihiko shook the thought from his head. He would have plenty of time to reflect later. Now wasn't the time to daydream. He had things to take care of.

He stopped in front of his father's study, face full of frustration. He hated having to talk to his father, let alone ask him for something. A part of him wanted to just turn on his heel and leave but he knew if he did that, then Misaki would most likely leave. And he didn't want to lose him just because his pride was in the way. The prince grumbled under his breath before pushing open the door. "Father." he called.

The King looked up from his desk, surprised at first but relaxing and scowling slightly. "Akihiko? Don't you have the courtesy to knock?" he asked, setting the quill pen down.

Akihiko resisted the urge to argue. He was already swallowing his pride. Like hell he'd be polite. "I need to talk to you."

"I'm a very busy person. I don't have time-"

"I wasn't asking your permission." he shut the doors behind him and walked forward till he was only a few feet from his desk. "It's about the contestants."

The King frowned, leaning back in his chair and narrowing his eyes slightly. "What about them?"

Akihiko paused, "Who is advancing?"

"That's secret information."

"So you've already chose who is advancing?"

"...Yes."

Akihiko felt his heartbeat quicken slightly but he remained calm. "Who?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because…"Akihiko clenched his fists and glared, "Because...I want to know if someone I care about made it." he spit out.

"Huh? You care about one of the girls?" he asked, caught off guard. However he composed himself quickly. "Which one? You haven't talked to a single one, if I remember correctly."

"Father you want me to marry correct? Then don't question."

"You have become more rude since the last time we spoke."

"Father." his voiced raised slightly, "Tell me who made it."

"Tell me who you are so worried about, or you can wait and find out with the rest."

Akihiko growled a bit, "...Mi-Manami Kajiwara."

The King's smug look suddenly faded, looking more resentful. "Miss Kajiwara?" he asked, frowning.

"I said the name, now tell me if she made it." he was losing his temper and wasn't sure he could keep calm much longer.

The King eyed him before speaking. "At first, no. But she has made it on the list."

He nodded and turned to walk away, "That's all I want to hear-"

"You weren't the only one to make sure she made it."

Akihiko stopped dead in his tracks. "...What."

"It seems Haruhiko seems to think Miss Kajiwara is worth keeping here. Despite her ill breeding." he smiled lightly.

Akihiko clenched his teeth before quickly walking out the door and shutting it loudly behind him. Stupid old man. Still, he tried to calm down. Misaki was staying, luckily. He could push that worry out of the way. Now, to actually find the little brat.

"Miss Aikawa...is all this really necessary?" Misaki asked, looking herself over in the mirror. Her dress was a light shade of green with golden vines that decorated the whole dress. She wore a shawl over her shoulders and her hair (it had grown out past his shoulders now) was curled and the bangs were pinned back by a new flower hair pin. Misaki looked nice, but she also felt pretty stiff and not like herself.

"Yes! It's a special occasion. But don't worry, the dress you'll wear to the finals will be even better!" she cooed.

Misaki frowned "Great…" she sighed and walked away from the mirror, letting the other girls check themselves out. She was nervous, but not because of the whole contestant thing. She was nervous because...well she and Akihiko were still on bad terms. She hadn't seen him all day because she had been so busy getting ready. She worried that maybe he really was pissed off and would be glad she left. She bit her lip, feeling her eyes water a bit. "I'll be right back…"

"Wait, Manami-"

Misaki left before she could stop him. He ran down the hall and to the library, stumbling a bit because of his stupid heels and heavy dress. He knew Akihiko wasn't there, and that was fine. He didn't think he'd have the strength to talk to him right now anyways. He went to the secluded part of the library and leaned against the wall, trying to compose himself. This was stupid. He was crying over nothing. But yet he couldn't help himself. Why did he feel so shitty? He had made Akihiko mad before! But then again...he always got over it after a few hours and then they would be back to normal. But maybe Misaki pushed him to far? Maybe he won't care if Misaki gets kicked out? Misaki held back a sob, trying to dab away at the tears. "Damn it...Damn!" he cursed, feeling foolish.

"Misaki?" The younger man tensed and looked up. Akihiko was walking down the aisle quickly, however he stopped when he noticed Misaki's current state. "Misaki are you alright?"

Misaki swallowed and straightened up, "I'm fine! I just...got make up in my eye." he argued, turning away. "Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in the ballroom?" he grumbled.

"I was looking for you." He took a step closer and put a hand on his head. "Where have you been?"

"Getting ready." he resisted the urge to lean in to the touch, instead smacking the hand away. "Why do you want to know?" he hissed.

"I just said I was looking for you. Are you not listening brat?"

"Shut up I'm not a brat!"

Akihiko smiled but took in a breath, getting serious. "Misaki...I know."

"Know? What do you know?" he mocked, trying to push him away. "I don't have time I need to go to the ballroom-"

"You're not Takahiro's little sister."

"What are you-"

"I read the letter he sent. You're his little brother, aren't you?"

Misaki took a minute to compose himself before frowning and trying to relax, "I-It's rude to read other people's letters you know…"

"You didn't answer my question." he grabbed his wrists and pinned him against the wall. "You are a boy aren't you?"

"...Yes." Misaki looked down but then quickly looked back up, "Don't tell anyone, okay? Are you mad? I'm sorry I didn't mean-" he was cut off as Akihiko suddenly kissed him. His eyes widened in shock. He relaxed after a bit though, leaning in to the kiss.

When he pulled away he smiled a bit. "I'm not mad. In fact I'm happy." He kept speaking before Misaki could question him, "I don't like women. I never have. And so that's why I was fine with you staying around because for me, it didn't matter if you stayed or not. I didn't think I'd feel anything for you. But then, I got to know you more. And I started to fall for you. I denied it at first, because how could I possibly fall for a woman? But now I realize I do indeed love you."

Misaki stared at him with his mouth open slightly, "Usagi I…" Misaki wanted to tell him he had the same feelings, but the words couldn't come out. Still, Akihiko didn't mind. He just leaned down and kissed him again, this time, wrapping his arms around his waist. Misaki closed his eyes and held on to his shoulders, kissing him back- too caught up in it all to really argue at the moment.

However their sweet moment was short lived, for the library doors opened with a bang, making them jump and pull apart. "Akihiko! Manami! Where are you the ball is starting soon! We can't start without you guys where are you?!" Miss Aikawa screamed, running around the place.

Akihiko sighed and was tempted to just ignore her but Misaki pulled away. "We should go, Usagi. Before she destroys the place." he muttered, wiping away the smudged lipstick.

Akihiko cleaned off his mouth too and straightened his clothes, "Fine. But we'll pick this up later. After they call you up with the finalists." he winked.

"Wh-What? Usagi did you-" He stopped when Aikawa found them.

"There you are! Come on!" she grabbed their hands and dragged them out and towards the ballroom.

The two looked at each other and smiled faintly. Things were far from perfect. There were still many things that needed to be taken care of and cleared up. Hell even this whole relationship thing was still pretty confusing. Were they friends or more than that? Misaki wasn't sure but he did know one thing. This is the best he's felt in a long time. And that counts for something, huh?

**(A/N: Aaand that took a long time. I had writers block for so long I can't even. Plus I have finals this week but after that I am free to post as much stories as I want. Or as much as my brain will let me lol. Thank you for the kind reviews it means a lot to me. It makes me feel happy. Next chapter should be out by friday or saturday so keep an eye out. Oh btw, I have a poll going on to see which fandom I should write for next. Either this one or a different one. You guys decide. Till next time, enjoy!)**


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